Earring

ABSTRACT

Provided is an earring that can present decorative appeal by using 2 fasteners worn on an earlobe and another region of the external ear, respectively. The earring includes a chain ( 100 ), a first decorative piece ( 200   a ) connected to one end of the chain ( 100 ), a second decorative piece ( 200   b ) connected to the other end of the chain ( 100 ), a first fastener ( 300 ) connected to the first decorative piece ( 200   a ), and a second fastener ( 400 ) connected to the second decorative piece ( 200   b ), where the first fastener is provided with a pin member ( 311 ) that is insertable in a pierced hole of an earlobe (E), and the second fastener is provided with a pressing member ( 420 ) that is pressable onto an outer ear region (H). The earring is wearable even without a pierced hole in the non-lobe outer ear region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0095102 filed on Oct. 7, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an earring, and more particularly, to an earring that can present decorative appeal by using 2 fasteners worn on an earlobe and another region of the external ear, respectively, without the need to pierce a hole in the non-earlobe region.

BACKGROUND

Earrings are accessories generally worn on earlobes, and their fasteners can generally be categorized as follows. One example is a pin-type earring, which has a pin portion projecting to the rear of the body (decorative portion) and inserted into a pierced earlobe, and a clutch (fastening portion) inserted at the back of the earlobe to prevent the earring from falling out. Other earring types include one-touch (ring) earrings and hook-type earrings. These earrings have the body (decorative portion) and the pin portion integrally formed and a wide array of pendants mounted on the end of the decorative portion. Such related art earrings, however, involve the following limitations. Because the earring is worn on the earlobe, the lobe tends to sag from the weight of the earring, the designs of the earrings tend to focus on only the pendant portions, and because the earring hangs below the earlobe and is easily caught on other objects, earrings are frequently lost or damaged, the wearer's earlobe is likely to suffer injury, and injury to the pierced portion of an earlobe is prone to injury from the weight of the earring.

SUMMARY

Embodiments provide an earring that can present decorative appeal by using 2 fasteners worn on an earlobe and another region of the external ear, respectively, without the need to pierce a hole in the non-earlobe region, to prevent loss of and damage to the earring and personal injury.

In one embodiment, an earring includes a chain, a first decorative piece connected to one end of the chain, a second decorative piece connected to the other end of the chain, a first fastener connected to the first decorative piece, and a second fastener connected to the second decorative piece, where the first fastener is provided with a pin member that is insertable in a pierced hole of an earlobe, and the second fastener is provided with a pressing member that is pressable onto an outer ear region. The pressing member of the second fastener may be a clamp or a clip, and a surface of the pivoting part of the second fastener that contacts an outer ear region may have a resilient member installed thereon for preventing slippage from an outer ear region.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of an earring according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second decorative piece and a second fastener of an earring according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the operation of a decorative piece of an earring according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the operation of a second fastener of an earring according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an earring according to the present invention worn on an earlobe and another region of the outer ear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of an earring according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second decorative piece and a second fastener of an earring according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the operation of a decorative piece of an earring according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the operation of a second fastener of an earring according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an earring according to the present invention worn on an earlobe and another region of the outer ear.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, an earring according to the present invention includes a chain 100, a first decorative piece 200 a connected to one end of the chain 100, a second decorative piece 200 b connected to the other end of the chain 100, a first fastener 300 connected to the first decorative piece 200 a, and a second fastener 400 connected to the second decorative piece 200 b, where the first fastener is worn on an earlobe E, and the second fastener is worn on an outer ear region H.

The chain 100 may be configured with a plurality of connected links, may be a single strand, or may be two strands or more as shown in FIG. 1.

The first decorative piece 200 a and the second decorative piece (200 b) may include a pair of connecting hooks 220 and 220′ connected to the chain and the corresponding fastener, respectively, and a decorative hook 210 and 210′ connected between the corresponding pair of connecting hooks 220 and 220′, respectively, such that the connecting hooks are able to pivot.

Because the structures of the connecting hooks 220 and 220′ and the decorative hooks 210 and 210′ are the same, for descriptive convenience, only the structure of the second decorative piece 200 b will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The decorative hook 210′ includes a front plate 211 having a pair of pin parts 211 a, and a back plate 212 mounted on an end of the pin part 211 a a distance apart from the front plate 211, and may be one of various shapes such as elliptical or round. A decorative portion 211 b is further provided on the front surface of the front plate 211.

One of the pair of connecting hooks 220′ is connected to the chain 100, the other is connected to the second fastener 400, and the pin parts 211 a of the decorative hook 210′ are inserted in pin holes 221 of the connecting hooks 220′ so that the decorative hook 210′ can pivot with respect to the connecting hooks 220′.

The thus-configured 3 hooks constituted of the pair of connecting hooks 220′ and the decorative hook 210′, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 3, are connected to move freely, so that when the earring of the present invention is worn, the second decorative piece 200 b can be varied in many forms by movement of the wearer, and the change in form can elicit aesthetic appeal.

The first fastener 300, is in a form capable of being attached using a pierced hole of an earlobe, and may be configured as a pin-type, hook-type, post-type, or screw-type fastener. Here, a pin-type fastener is one that is inserted and fixed in a pierced hole of an earlobe, a hook-type fastener is a hook-shaped pin that is inserted and fixed in a pierced hole of an earlobe, a post-type fastener is similar to the pin-type except that it is inserted in a pierced hole of an earlobe after which a stopper is inserted and fixed over the pin, and a screw-type fastener is one in which a screw-shaped pin part is inserted in a pierced hole of an earlobe after which a nut is screwed and fixed over the pin part.

The structure of the first fastener 300 according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, has one end configured with a first semicircular part 310 having a pin part 311, and the other end configured with a second semicircular part 320 connected via a hinge to the first semicircular part 310 of the first end, in which the pin part 311 can be inserted.

The second fastener 400 is configured as a clamp or clip-type fastener that can fasten to an outer ear region even when there is no pierced hole there. A clamp-type earring is formed in a thin cylinder shape with a cutout and can be deformed so that the cutout can be inserted over the outer ear, clamped over the ear, and worn. A clip-type fastener according to an embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 2, is a resiliently deformable fastener that can be locked and unlocked with a one-touch method.

A detailed description of the second fastener 400 will be provided with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4. The second fastener 400 includes a supporting piece 410 connected to the second decorative piece, and a pivoting piece 420 connected through a hinge to the supporting piece, and the pivoting piece 420 can press against an outer ear region H by moving in the direction toward the second fastener.

The supporting piece 410 is perpendicularly connected to the connecting hook 220′ and formed in an overall “Y” configuration, has a curvature across its overall length corresponding to the shape of an outer ear, and has a pair of pivot supporting parts 411 installed along the same axis at the top thereof. A stopper 412 is installed at the opposite ends of the pivot supporting parts 411.

The pivoting piece 420 is shaped in an overall “Ω” shape with the width between each of its end parts 421 formed wider than the distance between the pair of pivot supporting parts 411, so that when the end parts 421 are pressed in directions against one another and inserted over the pivot supporting parts 411, the end parts 421 each open outward in the directions of the arrows shown in FIG. 4A.

To describe the operation of the pivoting piece 420 of the second fastener 400, with the pivoting piece 420 in an open state as shown in FIG. 4A, when the pivoting piece 420 is pivoted about the pivot supporting parts 411, each end part 421 is inhibited in its pivoting by the stoppers 412, and the distance between the end parts 421 narrows in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 4B. When the pivoting piece 420 is pivoted further, the end parts 421 pass over the stoppers 412 so that the end parts 421 widen again to their original state in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 4C, and the pivoting piece 420 can be maintained in its folded position. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 220′ indicates a connecting hook to which a supporting piece 410 is fixed.

A silicon rubber 430 for preventing slippage may be used on the surface of the pivoting piece 420 of the second fastener 400 that contacts an outer ear region. The silicon rubber 430 has greater friction and resilience than metal. If a pivoting piece 420 of the second fastener formed of metal having low friction and resilience is used to press against a region of the outer ear, slippage may occur between the outer ear and the pivoting piece, or pressing of the pivoting piece against the outer ear region may cause pain, and thus the silicon rubber may be used to prevent slippage and alleviate pain.

Regarding the method of wearing the earring according to the present invention with reference to FIG. 5, the pin 311 of the first fastener 300 is inserted in a pierced hole of an earlobe E (not shown) and worn, and the pivoting piece 420 of the second fastener 400, preferably with the silicon rubber 430, is pressed against the outer ear region H and worn. In wearing the second fastener on an outer ear region, the wearer can select any region of the outer ear on which to wear the fastener, which can be worn without having to pierce a hole in the outer ear H because the fastener is worn by using pressure.

The following effects may be realized by the present invention.

1) With one end of an earring worn on an earlobe, the other end may be worn on various other regions of the outer ear, allowing an assortment of different aesthetic effects to be obtained.

2) Because the earring can be worn without having to pierce regions of the outer ear, it can be worn by piercing only the earlobe.

3) An earring can be prevented from slipping from a region of the outer ear by an anti-slip member of a fastener worn on the outer ear.

4) Because a variety of pendants can be attached and detached to and from a chain, a wide assortment of ornaments can be displayed.

5) Because the weight of an earring can be distributed through fasteners for the earlobe and other outer ear parts, pierced earlobe regions and other outer ear parts can be protected.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art. 

1. An earring comprising: a chain; a first decorative piece, other than the chain, connected to one end of the chain; a second decorative piece, other than the chain, connected to the other end of the chain; a first fastener connected to the first decorative piece; and a second fastener connected to the second decorative piece, wherein the first fastener is provided with a pin member that is insertable in a pierced hole of an earlobe, and the second fastener comprises: a supporting part connected to the second decorative piece; and a pivoting part connected through a hinge to the supporting part, the hinge comprising at least one pivot supporting part and at least one stopper such that the pivoting part can be pivoted about the at least one pivot supporting part from one side of the stopper, at an open position that facilitates the second fastener to be slipped over an outer ear region, to another side of the stopper, at a folded position that presses the pivoting part in the direction of the second fastener and against the outer ear region securing the second fastener to the outer ear region.
 2. The earring of claim 1, wherein the second fastener comprises a clamp or a clip.
 3. The earring of claim 1, wherein the hinge of the second fastener comprises: two pivot supporting parts and two stoppers, and the pivoting part comprises two end parts supported by the two pivot supporting parts, respectively, such that the two end parts pivot about the two pivot supporting parts from the open position to the folded position of the pivoting part.
 4. The earring of claim 3, wherein a surface of the pivoting part of the second fastener that contacts an outer ear region has a resilient member installed thereon for preventing slippage of the second fastener from an outer ear region.
 5. The earring of claim 4, wherein the resilient member is formed of silicon rubber.
 6. The earring of claim 1, wherein the second decorative piece comprises: a pair of connecting hooks connected to the chain and the second fastener, respectively; and a decorative hook connected between the pair of connecting hooks such that the connecting hooks are able to pivot. 